The latest: 40 spots on a bus and tickets to the game funded by former WSU great Dillon Jones.

Weber State sent social media posts Tuesday afternoon that the now-Oklahoma City Thunder rookie had paid for a group of fans to be at the game with tickets and fare. Just 1 1/2 hours later, all spots were claimed.

That’s in addition to a pair of buses expected to carry about 75 students to ISU’s Reed Gym to cheer on the Wildcats.

Last year’s trip to Pocatello saw the Wildcats face a raucous student section and a hot-shooting Bengals team that claimed a 2-0 season series mark against WSU for the first time in 20 years.

This year’s Wildcats are 0-2 in league play and need to get in the win column. Idaho State is an overtime away from being 2-0 and rebounds the ball exceptionally well (No. 8 nationally in offensive rebound percentage, No. 21 on defense).

The stakes are likely to feel higher and a caravan of Weber State faithful seems sure to add to the environment.

Saturday’s game is set for a 6 p.m. tipoff and will stream on ESPN+.

BIG SKY RENEWS ESPN DEAL

The Big Sky Conference reached a media rights deal with ESPN in 2021 that improved production value and consistency, asked schools to provide more balanced on-air commentary and preparation, and moved Big Sky games for all sports to the ESPN+ streaming service.

Four years later, the Big Sky is gaining more exposure through the partnership.

The two parties agreed to a five-year extension, going through the 2029-30 school year and increasing the number of football games televised on ESPN’s cable networks.

Starting with the 2025 season, the Big Sky will have four football games televised on ESPN networks (up from two), on either Fridays or Saturdays, with a minimum of two on ESPN or ESPN2 (the other two likely landing on ESPNU).

ESPN will continue to televise at least one men’s basketball regular-season game, as well as the men’s tournament semifinals and championship game (with two of those three guaranteed for ESPN or ESPN2). The women’s tournament championship game will continue to air on ESPNU.

All other games in those sports plus volleyball, softball and soccer, as well as other productions, will continue on ESPN+.